For managers or administrators, the Cisco Desktop Administrator provides the ability to configure workflows and desktop settings, and integrate business applications in a packaged paradigm, with no programming required:

• On-demand agent re-skilling gives mangers power to respond to a changing environment and reassign contact center resources where and when they are needed, keeping customer satisfaction and call response levels high.

Cisco Agent Desktop Client Edition and Browser Edition Common Features

Both the Cisco Agent Desktop Client Edition and Cisco Agent Desktop Browser Edition provide call control capabilities-such as call answer, hold, conference, and transfer-and ACD state control-such as ready, not ready, and wrap-up. Customer information is presented to the agent through an enterprise data window and optional screen pops.

Cisco Agent Desktop Client Edition and Browser Edition both give the agent a full-featured user interface for managing calls and their ACD state. Chat messaging between the agent and the supervisor or, if enabled, between agents, allows the agent to get timely information while assisting callers. Wrap-up data and reason codes allow management to accurately track call types and agent state changes. Cisco Agent Desktop also supports the Cisco IP Communicator, allowing the agent's PC to act as the phone device.

Through the Cisco Supervisor Desktop, the supervisor can view a display of agent states (login, logout, ready, remote, local, etc.) and call information (wrap-up and reason codes). Monitoring features also allow the supervisor to view agent states (login, logout, ready, etc.) and silently monitor agent-client interaction, status, enterprise data, and call history.

Included in the Enhanced and Premium versions, skill threshold alerts notify the supervisor of skill groups needing attention. Supervisors can also record agent-customer conversations.

When intervention or assistance is necessary, the Cisco Supervisor Desktop also provides the means to silently communicate with agents one-on-one through text chat and with the entire team through team messaging. With the Premium version, a web push to agents provides an alternative means of communication with team members.

An integrated browser (Figure 3) permits supervisors to facilitate agent re-skilling, view reports, collaborate with agents, and use other Web-based applications within the same Cisco Supervisor Desktop application.

The tabbed browser feature permits agents to open and perform multiple simultaneous work tasks, each through its own browser tab, reducing call duration and making the job of servicing clients easier.

Figure 4. Cisco Agent Desktop Client Edition

Cisco Agent Desktop Browser Edition

The Cisco Agent Desktop Browser Edition (Figure 5) executes as a thin client from within a commercial Web browser, making it easy to deploy and maintain. The Cisco Agent Desktop Browser Edition also includes an agent toolbar, team message display, contact data, enterprise data, and agent status information, making it an ideal solution in thin-client applications.

Figure 5. Cisco Agent Desktop Browser Edition

IP Phone Agent Features

The Cisco Unified Phone Agent function allows agents to use the Cisco Unified IP Phone either as their primary ACD interface or as a backup to the Cisco Agent Desktop application.

With the Cisco Unified Phone Agent, agents can log in and out of the ACD, view and change the ACD state, be informed of caller data through an enterprise data display, view statistics including calls in queue and longest in queue, and enter reason codes and wrap-up data (Figure 6). Advanced features in the Enhanced and Premium versions include the ability to view team messages and agent-initiated call recording.

Figure 6. Cisco Unified Phone Agent Skill Displays

The Cisco Unified Phone Agent can also act as a backup to the Cisco Agent Desktop by allowing the agent to log in and take calls even when the desktop application is not functioning because of a PC failure.

Cisco Desktop Administrator

The Cisco Desktop Administrator (Figure 7) allows system administrators to define and configure agents' desktops and workflow from a centralized location. Administrators can choose which agent states are visible on the agent's toolbar, define unique icons for agent and knowledge worker toolbar buttons, add reason codes for wrap-up and agent state changes, and customize the user interface of agent desktops. It also allows flexible configuration of Cisco Agent Desktop to meet various operational needs and maintain overall workflow automation efficiently and cost-effectively.

Figure 7. Cisco Desktop Administrator

From the Cisco Desktop Administrator, system administrators can configure the automatic transition of agents to the next ACD state or set up automatic answering, reducing ring time and increasing agent efficiency. Keystroke macros allow administrators to easily set up routine actions that change applications and speed up task completion, without software coding. Cisco Desktop Administrator also provides simplified administration for high-end functions, such as screen pops, task automation, reminder and utility actions, Web integration, launch of external applications, and inter-process communication.

Cisco Agent Desktop Workflow and Enterprise Application Integration

The Cisco Agent Desktop integrates easily with third-party applications without custom programming. This capability reduces call duration and allows agents to resolve a client inquiry in a single call.

With the Enhanced and Premium versions, "Events" such as startup, shutdown, agent state change, ringing, answering, hang-up, and time of day can be used to trigger evaluation of workflow "Rules" and initiate automated "Actions". These Event, Rules and Action workflows are integral to the architecture of the Cisco Agent Desktop application and benefit the user as part of a first call resolution process.

For example, consider the following workflow: (1) A call is received from the interactive-voice-response (IVR) system. (2) The call receives data from the Cisco Intelligent Contact Management Software application. (3) Cisco Agent Desktop workflow executes customer-relationship-management (CRM) application integration. (4) A Cisco Agent Desktop screen pop displays customer information retrieved from the CRM application and displays it to the agent prior to answering the call.

– A macro executes a word processing application for recording call data and completing notes at the end of a call.

– A macro executes an e-mail application at the end of a call with standard sections of the e-mail message completed (the e-mail address, the subject, etc.).

– Included in Enhanced and Premium versions.

Cisco Agent Desktop provides the fully packaged composite application with embedded telephony controls, 3rd party application integration methods, automated tasks through workflow actions, and collaboration tools. No programming or complex professional services are required for these capabilities In this framework, Cisco Agent Desktop also supports integration of customized web services applications (e.g.Mash-ups and other web services) in support of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Framework (Figure 8), providing the benefits of a single customer view and unified desktop for all the tools agents require to deliver consistent world class services.

Figure 8. Cisco Agent Desktop in a SOA Framework

Cisco Agent Desktop Packages

Cisco Agent Desktop is offered in three different packages to meet the price and performance needs of today's call centers (Table 1).

Contact center solutions can help your company dramatically improve customer service and increase business efficiency. It is critical that your contact center be correctly deployed and effectively operated to help provide optimal contact center performance and improve customer satisfaction.

Cisco Systems
® and its partners can help you deploy a robust, dependable contact center solution by taking a lifecycle approach that addresses all aspects of deploying a multifaceted solution, including people, processes, and technology. Whether you are transitioning your existing contact center solution to an IP-based contact center or deploying a new contact center, this approach helps ensure alignment of business and technical goals at each of the six phases of the solution lifecycle: prepare, plan, design, implement, operate, and optimize.

Cisco services are available through various service programs designed to help accelerate customer success throughout the network lifecycle. For more information about Cisco services for contact centers, visit
http://www.cisco.com/go/ipcservices or contact your local Cisco account representative.